I really detest the AI voice. But the content is fascinating:
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Open thread 6/8/2026 — 16 Comments
The drearily predictable, blatant, brazen, in your face stealing of the LA mayoral nomination from Spencer Pratt has me very depressed.
What’s really depressing (to me, at any rate) about the events in L.A. is that the winners/thieves probably don’t think they did anything wrong — that nothing untoward happened.
I saw this a couple of days ago, and now Glenn Reynolds has reposted it at Instapundit. Iranian oil exports are down 93% and Project Freedom, escorting some ships safely through Hormuz, is underway in a stealth-like manner. The blockade is still very effective.
I was surprised when I learned that the top of the Pantheon in Rome is open to admit light, and rains just falls through onto the floor. They have a special set of drains just for that. Doesn’t rain every day, but people need light every day. There are people who claim a chimney effect keeps the rain out, but that is very obviously not true…
The ancient Romans couldn’t make window glass at scale but they could produce really complex shapes in glass called “cage cups”, which are mostly carved into shape, though no one is 100% sure of that.
I, too, am depressed at the way the vote is going in LA and California. They are absolutely shameless.
LEO XIV IN SPAIN
Pope Condemns Völkisch Thinking
At the start of his week-long visit to Spain, Pope Leo XIV took a clear stand against right-wing populist tendencies worldwide and the worsening political and social climate. He warned against “identity-based approaches that believe they can explain everything but fill the world with specters and enemies,” without naming specific politicians. Instead, he emphasized the need to move forward together.
As a Catholic I strongly believe the pope is seriously misguided. He is not the defender of the faith.
Let’s be *totally* clear about the message our friends in California are sending us.
We’re stealing the election as you watch. But there’s more . . .
You are helpless to do anything about it. But there’s more . . .
We’re doing it in an especially brazen manner. But there’s more. . .
That brazen manner is meant to send an additional message.
We can do this *any* time we want, in *any* election we want.
We’re knowingly being in yo’ [f#ckin’] FACE.
We’re rubbing it in your deplorable fascist faces. Good ‘n’ hard (Mencken).
We HATE you, and we won’t stop hating you until you’re all [f#ckin’] DEAD.
— — — — —
California is a third world banana republic.
Careful not to step in the human sh!t as you step past.
Have a nice day.
Xylourgos: “He [Leo] warned against “identity-based approaches that believe they can explain everything but fill the world with specters and enemies,” without naming specific politicians”
The funny thing is that even if it is the opposite of what he intended to say this applies exactly to all the woke/DEI/progressive “thinking” that got us into this mess in the first place.
Pray for the Pope. Putting politics before God.
I could have more respect for Christian religious leaders pleading for tolerance IF they also made evangelizing the Muslim immigrants their first priority. Do they preach the gospel of Jesus Christ to the Muslims in their midst? Do they make strong efforts to support converts in their new lives in Christ? If not, they’re not doing their jobs and I am less inclined to listen to them.
Kate…have a look at CMS (used to be called Church Missionary Society)
They’re pretty intentional…solid theology too in a Reformed Evangelical sense.
CMS evangelized much of the former British Empire. Could we say now that Church of England clerical leaders are intentionally trying to evangelize the Muslims who have moved to their country? I don’t see any sign of that.
In the context of the item about Pope Leo, do we see signs that Vatican leadership is actively working to spread the Gospel among Muslims in Europe, or anywhere else?
Kate…I don’t think the current iteration of CMS has much to do with the C of E.
And yes they work extensively with Islamic communities: both as embeds in Muslim-majority countries and in predominantly Muslim-majority communities in the West.
About the RCs…? I doubt it. But that’s just a hunch.
Looking on YouTube, there are a multitude of different renditions of Astor Piazzolla’s “Oblivion”–solo piano, trio, orchestra, accordion, with dancers, without, etc.
I thought that this solo piano version by pianist Armen Babakhanian was particularly gorgeous.*
P.S. I must admit, though, that I was a little put off by Babakhanian’s facial expressions and body contortions as he played.
The drearily predictable, blatant, brazen, in your face stealing of the LA mayoral nomination from Spencer Pratt has me very depressed.
What’s really depressing (to me, at any rate) about the events in L.A. is that the winners/thieves probably don’t think they did anything wrong — that nothing untoward happened.
I saw this a couple of days ago, and now Glenn Reynolds has reposted it at Instapundit. Iranian oil exports are down 93% and Project Freedom, escorting some ships safely through Hormuz, is underway in a stealth-like manner. The blockade is still very effective.
https://pjmedia.com/richard-fernandez/2026/06/06/belmont-club-the-blockade-of-hormuz-revisited-n4953659
Brianna Wu lands in Israel.
Iran launches ballistic missiles.
There are no coincidences.
I was surprised when I learned that the top of the Pantheon in Rome is open to admit light, and rains just falls through onto the floor. They have a special set of drains just for that. Doesn’t rain every day, but people need light every day. There are people who claim a chimney effect keeps the rain out, but that is very obviously not true…
The ancient Romans couldn’t make window glass at scale but they could produce really complex shapes in glass called “cage cups”, which are mostly carved into shape, though no one is 100% sure of that.
New LEGO, 12,060 brick Sagrada Família for $799.99.
https://www.lego.com/en-us/product/sagrada-familia-21065
I, too, am depressed at the way the vote is going in LA and California. They are absolutely shameless.
LEO XIV IN SPAIN
Pope Condemns Völkisch Thinking
At the start of his week-long visit to Spain, Pope Leo XIV took a clear stand against right-wing populist tendencies worldwide and the worsening political and social climate. He warned against “identity-based approaches that believe they can explain everything but fill the world with specters and enemies,” without naming specific politicians. Instead, he emphasized the need to move forward together.
As a Catholic I strongly believe the pope is seriously misguided. He is not the defender of the faith.
Let’s be *totally* clear about the message our friends in California are sending us.
We’re stealing the election as you watch. But there’s more . . .
You are helpless to do anything about it. But there’s more . . .
We’re doing it in an especially brazen manner. But there’s more. . .
That brazen manner is meant to send an additional message.
We can do this *any* time we want, in *any* election we want.
We’re knowingly being in yo’ [f#ckin’] FACE.
We’re rubbing it in your deplorable fascist faces. Good ‘n’ hard (Mencken).
We HATE you, and we won’t stop hating you until you’re all [f#ckin’] DEAD.
— — — — —
California is a third world banana republic.
Careful not to step in the human sh!t as you step past.
Have a nice day.
Xylourgos: “He [Leo] warned against “identity-based approaches that believe they can explain everything but fill the world with specters and enemies,” without naming specific politicians”
The funny thing is that even if it is the opposite of what he intended to say this applies exactly to all the woke/DEI/progressive “thinking” that got us into this mess in the first place.
Pray for the Pope. Putting politics before God.
I could have more respect for Christian religious leaders pleading for tolerance IF they also made evangelizing the Muslim immigrants their first priority. Do they preach the gospel of Jesus Christ to the Muslims in their midst? Do they make strong efforts to support converts in their new lives in Christ? If not, they’re not doing their jobs and I am less inclined to listen to them.
Kate…have a look at CMS (used to be called Church Missionary Society)
They’re pretty intentional…solid theology too in a Reformed Evangelical sense.
CMS evangelized much of the former British Empire. Could we say now that Church of England clerical leaders are intentionally trying to evangelize the Muslims who have moved to their country? I don’t see any sign of that.
In the context of the item about Pope Leo, do we see signs that Vatican leadership is actively working to spread the Gospel among Muslims in Europe, or anywhere else?
Kate…I don’t think the current iteration of CMS has much to do with the C of E.
And yes they work extensively with Islamic communities: both as embeds in Muslim-majority countries and in predominantly Muslim-majority communities in the West.
About the RCs…? I doubt it. But that’s just a hunch.
Looking on YouTube, there are a multitude of different renditions of Astor Piazzolla’s “Oblivion”–solo piano, trio, orchestra, accordion, with dancers, without, etc.
I thought that this solo piano version by pianist Armen Babakhanian was particularly gorgeous.*
P.S. I must admit, though, that I was a little put off by Babakhanian’s facial expressions and body contortions as he played.
See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3mdB-WPft8